Songs Of Leonard Cohen

I missed this when it was released in 1967 (the year I finished the HSC) although I was familiar with Judy Collins’s version of Suzanne. Then in 1970 I met my first girlfriend/lover, an art school student who was a big Cohen fan, & became besotted with this album. This was magnified in 1971 when Robert Altman used 3 of the songs as the soundtrack to his film, the western, McCabe & Mrs Miller - The Stranger Song, Winter Lady &, most memorably Sisters Of Mercy, playing when a group of prostitutes arrive in a wintery western town. To this day, I picture that scene every time I hear that song. The 3 classics on the album are Suzanne, So Long Marianne & Hey That’s No Way To Say Goodbye, but there are no duds on this album. Cohen is unique. His lyrics are superb. I soon became infatuated with his writing & devoured his poetry & then his novel Beautiful Losers several times - it is credited with introducing post-modernism to Canadian literature. I know I’d never read anything like it. This album still blows me away every time I play it & I’ve hammered it in the last few days. I understand that Cohen is not to everybody’s taste. The night In the late 70’s when I first took the woman who would become the mother of my children home, Songs Of Love & Hate was already on my turntable, so I just started playing it, quickly discovering she definitely was not a fan. Life’s funny, eh?

Production is spare but still pretty. (Personally, I would like a little bit more grit in it, but you can't have everything). Mostly simple acoustic guitar and bass arrangements, augmented with occasional strings. Leonard's voice is not great, but he can (usually) sell the damn song. The songs are so great; Suzanne, So Long, Marianne, Sisters of Mercy are all classics. They are so evocative. I realize that he almost never talks in generalities or abstract concepts. He tells the story through vivid and concrete images. I love that approach to lyric writing. I've reviewed a bunch of Leonard Cohen albums for this project, and this continues my highly consistent run of 4 star ratings.

Guy singing and a guitar

So many great songs but I don’t think i like listening to the whole album in one sitting.

I’m not a hater on Leonard. And granted this is only really after one listen. It’s just a little boring. Suzanne is a fantastic track and blew me away. Everything else just kinda sounds the same and doesn’t move me quite as much as the first song.

Most of the album was familiar sounding to me. Although not too in depth, I found the songs to be easy listening and enjoyable. I recall his name from many years ago, that was a nice blast from the past.

He’s very talented with song writing

Great songs... awful production

A beautiful and perfect album. A lyricist like no other. Except maybe Dylan? So long, Marrianne is one of my all time favourite songs and so a joy to hear. I’ve heard plenty of Cohen but never listened closely so this was a fantastic listen.

Respect....but I was more into Stones,Animals, "real"Fleetwood Mac and Steve Miller than poetry.He was better when he got older....much older.

I've heard about this guy for a long time. Super chill music, better than I thought it would be.

Great lyricist and songwriter but can't sing for shit.

A brilliant debut to a stellar career. I was actually in Montreal when he died and they played Hallelujah before the Canadiens game that night.

classic Canadiana, what's not to like? So Long Marianne a beautiful track with the female singers.

4.8 - I felt like this is such a pure album, it feels like a performance rather than just a bunch of songs. Love his lyrics and voice.

LC has a very unique poetic delivery, but I find it to be too samey at points on this album. Quite a few songs feel like they are diet versions of Suzanne. Tracks like Sisters of Mercy with its Christmassy foley sounds are more engaging to me. Fave Tracks: Suzanne, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong 3.5/5

I can't review this, the album and artist mean too much to me

Folksy in that Bob Dillon style of folk. Interesting songs, solid music, all sung in a similar cadence and tone though. Nothing really struck me on this one, aside from being good vibe music for an early morning on a rainy day. 2/5 sad guitars.

Its like if Bob Dylan had a better voice - soft, warm, good vocals. I would listen to this album again for sure. Master Song was really good.

Highlights: The Stranger Song, Hey That's No Way to Say Goodbye, So Long Marianne. In a nutshell: wry heartbreak poetry set to stripped down music. This is where it all began for Cohen, a Canadian poet who became a singer-songwriter. No baritone singing here, more folk standard singing voice akin to Donovan. The overuse of "and" as a sentence starter was irritating. Some songs were longer than necessary. BUT, there are fantastic lines within ("you held onto me like I was a crucifix" from So Long, Marianne). It's a decent debut, but not spectacular album for me. Overall: 7/10

El disco que escuchábamos los veinteañeros culturetas para ligar. Un disco perfecto ¡Y sin guitarras eléctricas!

Eine gutes Album - wenn man in der passenden Stimmung ist.

A really lovely combination of music and lyrics, sung with such a soothing voice. I listened several times, and that speaks volumes.

I went to pick up my daughter this morning from super early morning practice. It was still dark, it was cold and rainy with a dense eerie fog. I put on the album, the mood outside seemed to perfectly reflect the somber tone of the music…it was perfect. Perfectly depressing and I loved it. I somehow got my hands on a mix tape with some (unknown to me then) Lenard Cohen songs maybe a few Tom Waits. I have no idea where it came from. “Little Blue Rain Coat” “waiting for the miracle” “Dance me to the end of Love” “the future” and of course “hallelujah”. I loved them and still play them from time to time (as my kids can attest) but they are strange and I’m high school I got a lot of what kind of weird shit is this? And lack of access or funds kept me from seeking out more music. So to listen to his debut album on this cold winter day was kind of cool for me. The lyrics are amazing and love what I interpreted as the use of many contradictions in his lyrics. Really unique in blurring the lines between poetry and music. Just don’t listen driving to the beach! Favorite song “the stranger song”

More like Leonard NOhen

Cohen’s songwriting skills are overshadowed by how boring and forgettable all thr songs are.

Not really my thing ...

Enjoyed the lyrics more than the voice or the music.

Not really my kind of music, but I can understand why someone likes stuff like this

for me, folk is one of those genres that’s nice to have on, but not something I reach for nor a genre that particularly moves me… hopefully I’ll find an album in this journey that changes that. I unfortunately don’t think it’s this one.

Not a fan

Many of the songs sound the same. Not going to lie

I hate Leonard Cohen, boring AF

Poetic and interesting lyrics but have to listen again sometime, as we fell asleep. After the album was over my 10 month old immediately woke up. Will remember this album when he needs to sleep

Reminds me of Montreal

Turns out that if you take Bob Dylan's formula and remove the ear-piercingly horrible harmonica, you're left with actually listenable music. Who would have guessed. Good old Lenny writes some swell tunes on this one. Proud of the guy.

Suzanne Sisters of Mercy So Long, Marianne Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye

I was hopeful. I don't really know Leonard Cohen's music, but I've looked what I've heard. This was not that good. Too much sounded strangely like the same song.

I like this album much more today than I did 20 years ago, perhaps its gloomy tones more reflect my mental attitude today. it sounds like a complete album from start to finish and not something that has been put together patchily. I think I need to listen to it again.

Beautiful

A gothic adventure to the inner working of cohen's mind

Not my thing...

Classic

Not my type of music. A little boring, but I respect what it is.

i cant believe boygenius invented leonard cohen!

Very haunting and nostalgic of a quieter time. Classic folk singing.

Apart from a couple of decent tracks I found this quite forgettable. Don't think I can see myself forcing a relisten or anything along those lines. I do have to say it's on the better side of music but I wasn't particularly blown away and thought it was amazing.

Ugh

A very heavy handed and thought provoking album. Very warm melodically, with plenty of open space for each individual instrument help improve emotional response I presume Cohen was going for. This album is incredible, I often never reach for it but this excercise allowed to me reminisce.

Tää levy kuulosti siltä että sama biisi ois soinut vähän eri lyriikoilla. No ei ihan mutta melkein. Sinänsä pidin joistain, mutta kuulostaa Cohenin harjoittelulta tulevaa varten. Siinä mielessä siis merkityksellinen ja kokonaisuutena ihan onnistunut levy, mutta aika tylsä (ja dylanmainen). Melkein 3 mutta inan vajaa.

Ihan ok biisejä. Sääli että niitä on noin kolme. Sanojen kielikuvallinen absurdius ei jaksa kiinnostaa.

the melodies and lyrics are both a little too boring for me.

Did not like at all

Leonard Cohen I want to like him but each song is a hit or miss.

Leonard, Leonard, Leonard. Rarely do celebrity deaths feel personal but his did, and I only ever heard his songs. “There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in,” though not from this record, might as well be a motto for the Olsens, and I feel is emblematic of this dance in Cohen’s lyrics between a veiled judgement of people’s idiosyncrasies (and especially his own) and a warming kindness towards persons. He’s searching, anxious for a transcendent thing, but certain that if it will come it will be from within (or by understanding the other in a deeper way). Ana: peaceful. Sad, really sad.

Poetry!

GRAVELY LIKE MY PEE HOLE

Blind album and artist. Snore. Is it just me or does he look like he could be a younger Epstein? Look at the akbum cover for Various Positions. Maybe I need to get off the internet for a while.

Great lyricist, deserves a second listen. Overall a beautiful album, though I might prefer the other album of his on this list. 3.5

It was fine. Not something I am going to go out of my way to listen to again. Decent background music

Before I was really got into music, it was OK, hubbies did not care for it.

Beautiful, emotional and unique. ***Teachers **The Stranger Song *Master Song *Suzanne

Even though he’s never been my favorite artist, I certainly get the appeal of Leonard Cohen. This was a decent album.

I liked it, it was mellow, 4 stars

Not a fan of the genre, songs felt too similar

Not for me, but I respect the talent.

Decent, he has some pretty classic stuff, but not exactly my favorite type. Better than most modern country by a hundred miles, still. 3.5.

Loved it - sounds like it could have been released today. Will definitely relisten in the future.

The entire album felt like an extension of the holdovers soundtrack.

Ugh. This is the first album I couldn’t finish. Beautiful, poetic lyrics. Accessible, everyman voice. Incredible songwriter. But just too depressing for me right now.

No

Leonard Cohen has a one-of-a-kind voice and sound that really makes his music stand out from similar artists. It's a classic sound that defines that genre.

Pleasant voice, sometimes interesting lyrics, but so, oh so boring. Endless droning with generic sad guitar background. So Long, Marianne is a refreshing break.

Like one song. Not a big Leonard Cohen fan at this time.

It was strange... Not sure why I needed to listen to that one before I died.

It was OK. Just not a fan of his voice

Love this album. Poetry in melodic motion.

Ich mag die Stimme und die relaxte Stimmung.

Cohen is great

Drab.

I really didn't like the other Cohen album I listened to on this list, I'm Your Man, but this was a pleasant surprise. The clever uses of instruments and backing vocals, the mixing and production, the songwriting, all if it just clicks here. It's like Cohen is staring into my soul and my soul is listening. Really Enjoyable.

Standouts: "Suzanne," "So Long, Marianne," "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye," "Stories of the Street" Lyrics- 5/5 Instrumentals- 5/5 Production- 5/5 Vibes- 5/5 Overall 5/5 Leonard Cohen is often labeled as one of the most influential musical artists of all time. His lyricism, his vocals, his instrumentals, many people are just drawn to it. This album is no exception. This album was right up my alley. I've never delved deeply into Leonard Cohen's discography, but after this album I think that'll change. The songs range from hauntingly warm to beautifully cold. Cohen just has such a way with words and notes, this is undoubtedly one of the best albums I have ever heard.

Not for me

Mr Cohen, you are welcome in my playlist, but just pop by occasionally cos too much of you gets on my tits apparently.

Album 280 of 1001 Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen Rating : 4 / 5 Favorite Track : Suzanne I've gotten really enjoy some Leonard Cohen. Awesome songwriter, interesting guy, wonderful recordings. He has became a favorite.

A rarity in the back half being weighted heavily. The album builds to the final track. While his voice is extremely unique and definitive, the over-enunciation of the final syllables gets to be a bit vexing. 3.25/5

01) Suzanne - 9,5 02) Master Song - 9,0 03) Winter Lady - 9,0 04) The Stranger Song - 8,5 05) Sisters Of Mercy - 9,0 06) So Long, Marianne - 10,0 07) Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye - 9,0 08) Stories Of The Street - 9,0 09) Teachers - 9,5 10) One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong - 8,5 TOTAL: 9,10 (91/100) It's my 50th album, and my 6th five stars. I love the story telling, love the atmosphere and I loooove "So Long, Marianne".

Don’t get it and it’s very depressing listening. 1*

Excruciating.

Early Leonard Cohen lyrics are cryptic and sometimes inexplicable ("an ape with angel glands"), but this shambling debut has a magic charm. Despite its easy pace and gentle existence, there is an arresting, almost dangerous and indoctrinating quality all over this album that will hook and hypnotize the right type of listener into the cult of Cohen. Best tracks: 'Suzanne' and 'One of Us Cannot Be Wrong'

Sammlung entspannter Gitarrenmusik, gut aber wenig Abwechslung.

No. 82/1001 Suzanne 5/5 Master Song 4/5 Winter Lady 4/5 The Stranger Song 4/5 Sisters of Mercy 4/5 So Long, Marianne 4/5 Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye 3/5 Stories Of The Street 3/5 Teachers 3/5 One of Us Cannot Be Wrong 4/5 Average: 3,8 Mostly liked the toned-down and melancholic sound Cohen creates with this album. Lacks some musical diversity to become one of my all-time favorites.

Respect the writing on this and the hauntingly gentle guitar but this album is just too slow and melancholy for me. Definitely a hell of a songwriter lyrically but this is just a bit on the boring side for me. Really impressive album for the time that it came out at though.

So much more than Hallelujah. Leonard was a treasure.

I don’t really get down with Cohen too much. I just never seem to be in the mood for it. But this album is pretty astonishing considering the year it came out. Reflective and personal lyrics that really make a lasting statement.

The religious allusions—of which there are many—were completely lost on me, but the bleeding heart romanticism—delivered in equally ample supply—spoke to me loud and clear.

Lovely stuff.

If you are having trouble falling asleep, try this.

Good album

So again, another singer/ songwriter that I like more than Dylan, which is cool. His style is kind of rambling, lots of sentences and statements that continue on and on, but it kind of has a charm that I like. I'm ready for something different though, feel like I've gotten a lot of these singers from 1968-1972 in the last 2 weeks.

Nice voice, but the album is too slow and melancholic. Personally, I like something like this remix more: Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker (Paul Kalkbrenner Remix).

Classic

This was just yuck the singer just kinda talked almond the music but nothing really happened and no songs stuck out to me.

I waited for 40-some minutes waiting for some variation in the music and his singing and all I found was someone playing with a wind-up toy at one point. The guy's expression on the cover sums up how I felt listening to this album. 1/5

Boring

Really love the guitar work on this one.

The first song was pretty good, then I didn’t like the second song at all and every song after ended up sounding like that second song. Should be illegal to put the best song first.

Best Song: Suzanne. Iconic, pleading, romantic. His best early-career song. Worst Song: Teachers. Has a kind of repetitive droning that Cohen already has a negative tendency towards. Overall: I always love Cohen's lyricism, and I've listened to him enough that I've come to appreciate his no-frills style of delivery. The songs here have a youthfulness to them, and although I prefer his work from later in his life, this is still an excellent offering.

Eh. Whatever.

Not used to hearing Leonard without his raspy voice. Very lyrically good album with some haunting instrumentals at times. 3/5

I don't usually listen to this type of singing style because it's almost spoken word, but there's something about Leonard Cohen that I respect. I always found Suzanne a beautiful song. Part of it is the lyrics

Lovely. 4 stars.

Liked it but wouldn't necessarily reach for it.

Good album. Leonard Cohen is one of those artists where I like their music but it's not anything I would ever pick to listen to.

Nostalgic and very nice

Great storytelling. All his lyrics draw me into a world that he is creating. This is one you have to sit and really pay attention to. Everything seems purposeful from the subtle instrumentation to the use of background vocals.

Not my cup of tea lol

inherentemente humano

Even after listening to a few of his albums, I'm still not sure i'm completely connecting with Leonard Cohen's music. This is definitely the favourite so far though, the playing on this one is so beautiful, mostly just a quiet acoustic guitar and his voice. The opener 'Suzanne' is a highlight with it's gorgeous melodies and sweet lyrics, also 'So Long Marienne' which has a bit more instrumentation surrounding it than most of the other songs, along with some female backup vocals in the chorus to really bring it to life. I'll be back to it soon to try and get into Leonard more, but I did enjoy the listen.

awesome

Meh. A three.

The songs are Beautiful obviously very poetic. Found myself pretty bored with the listen however. I think this is one I’d need to have on vinyl to really appreciate a full listen through again. But I’m proud of this good ole Canadian boy even if he’s a habs fan (probably) -B

Yeah this was cool definitely makes sense to compare it to Tom waits. Really pretty playing

I’m just not into it

A really impressive debut album. One thing I appreciate about this is that I like a lot of late 60s folk, this album is very far from being overproduced or having too much additional instrumentation. Orchestration on this album is very spare. Sounds fade in and out and only ever accentuate Cohen’s voice and simple guitar playing. Stark and beautiful, this album just impresses me more with time.

Chill and good

2nd Leonard Cohen album. I liked You Want it Darker better but this was good too

Favorite Song: So Long, Marianne Leonard Cohen tells an incredible story with each song on this album. It is no wonder he is praised as a lyrical genius. I give this album a 3.0/5.0. My favorite songs on this album were "So Long, Marianne" and "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong"

At first I was enjoying it a lot more than I thought and then I was waiting for it to be over. 3 because of that

Drab and dreary. Two decent songs: Suzanne So Long, Marianne

Sisters of Mercy, and So long Marriane are favourites. Bonus points for Hey, that’s no way to say goodbye as couldn’t remember it.

Sad but beautiful

Ok, maybe I am not a fan of cohen. The lyics must be good.. 2.5

3,5

Surprisingly really good. Wouldn’t think I’d actually like a Leonard Cohen album. Not many songs I can pick out as being the best, they’re mostly equally good. 7.5/10 Top 3: 1. Master Song 2. Suzanne 3. Sisters of Mercy

An icon

I ended up liking this album more than I expected! Leonard Cohen is like a better sounding Bob Dylan and the songs were like poetry set to acoustic guitar. "So Long, Marianne" was the stand-out hit, but the overall vibe of the album was just cool and folksy. There was a certain zen to listening to this on a cloudy day, driving down the highway. There is a bit of a same-ness to these songs but in the end I think it was just the right length too, and if there was even just one more song it would have started to get grating.

The simplicity of the music allows the words to shine

Great album form the Canadian "Bard" :-)

Just not my thing

Really really liked this album. I feel like this is a very accessible Cohen album and the production of lightly strummed kind of lo-fi guitars really pairs well with his voice and poetic verses.

LC is growing on me a bit. As the title suggests this isn’t really an album - every song ends pretty abruptly before going onto something new. But The Stranger Song; So Long, Marianne; and One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong were all really strong and the rest was good enough if a bit, as Josh would say, samey. Cohen’s talent is clearly as a lyricist and when that coincides with good music I love the result.

Don’t really have that much to say. It’s pleasant music with good lyrics but doesn’t really get me going

I don’t like Leonard Cohen at all but at least I made it all the way through this one. That’s about all that can say.

I had never heard this album before and it sounds like a much darker Paul Simon to me. Of the three Leonard Cohen albums we’ve heard this was the one I’d most likely listen to again. “So Long Marianne” was a highlight for me. Would do a 3.5 if possibles

Really lovely stuff. The music and delivery really forces you to focus on the content of lyrics, which is luckily very good. Very poetic. 8/10

Very chill listen. I like the vibes a lot. The stories that each song bring are very nice as well as the stripped back instrumentation. Musically compared to others I've listened to, it's a respectable 3

Bit boring. Might not have been in the right mood to listen to it. Going to give it a re-listen

Some good songs. Very mysterious

E z 5 star.

Crying cat emoji

like talking to a calm, sensible, serious and not flashy person, who also happens to be a poet. loved taking subway with Cohen

Fine but too slow

Very nice

Clearly a well crafted set of songs - but you'd really have to be in the mood for some serious reflection to enjoy....

Love his voice.

This one isn't about the music, which goes from from clumsy to perfunctory. It's about the lyrics and the mood. This one feels like an old friend, who you invite over to share a beer and life's troubles. The Stranger Song stands above the rest.

Evocative lyrics. Sublime metaphors. His folk blends a cowboy storyteller style with a little Greenwich Village sensibility. The whole album is solid, but The Master Song, The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne are my favorites.

Nor a fan

Some fine tracks. Enjoyed it.

I understand what's good about it, but I was not in the mood. I very rarely am. Doesn't help that it's very samey.

Cd

Calm chill music

Could not get into it. The lyrics are probably super -interesting if I listen close enough. But it did not grab me. Others have done the stripped down guitar-singer-songwriter thing better, but he was one of the first? I prefer Dylan or Springsteen.

I suppose I get why LC is heralded among Dylan, Paul Simon, and Townes Van Zandt as the great lyricists. He leaves a little to be desired on the vocal delivery. Still an enjoyable listen.

все таки либо его надо слушать еще и еще либо это слабее чем поздние его работы, тексту много внимания не уделял, музыкальная часть местами скучная. но хороший материал есть, это появление леонарда коена, это хорошая лирика, некоторые песни действительно оригинальны, так что ясно, почему альбом в списке. 5 из десяти

Just a wordy man with slow(?) TLOU playing

This is a great slower album, with standouts in Stories Of The Street, Suzanne, Master Song, So Long Marianne, Hey That's No Way To Say Goodbye, and Teachers.

There's something so distinct and profound sounding in the late 1960's folk scene. Maybe it was that life was different and people were living out the songs they were writing. Maybe the lack of existing content allowed for more simplistic freedom of expression. Either way, an excellent debut from Leonard Cohen

Okay. Sad folk that doesn't do it for me. Lyrics are corny. Would be more into it if he leaned into the bluegrass feel of So Long, Marianne more. The screaming at the end of One of Us Cannot Be Wrong pretty much sums up how I feel about this album.

Amazing

- I like this album very much, but at least some part of this comes from having listened to some if his later works, specially "You Want It Darker" - Seeing how his music and tone changed is part of a broader experience and I'm not sure how it would feel to listen to this in 1967. Probably amazing, tho.

I love Leonard Cohen, but man his music improved when he discovered his basso profundo. This had some fun layers but overall is not my favourite.

Great album if you want to fall asleep or take your life. ;) But great guitarplaying.

Listened Before? Yes Album Art: 4 / 5 (I love the apparent lack of effort here. Some lazy word art style lettering with a sadboi portrait) This album was actually recommended to Mehie and I at our baby shower for Desmond as good music for naptime. I can't say it was bad advice, but at the time I think we were both confused. I didn't listen terribly closely, but this was an extremely solid folk album with Leonard Cohen sounding the cleanest I've ever heard from him. Often erring on the melancholy in tone, I suspect that if I gave a close listen to the lyrics I would be rewarded. Ultimately though a lot of this kind of ran together for me so I can't go stronger than a 4. Added to Library? Yes Songs Added to Playlists:

Good voice. Not really my style of music though. Not bad though.

Pretty slow but peaceful for the first few songs. So long Marianne was a nice little pickup that song was catchy. Kind of all sounded like one song with the quiet guitar and his singing. The album ended with him screaming faintly and I was listening to it on a plane and I was concerned that someone on my plane was screaming.

3rd Leonard Cohen album. Gave the first two 3's so lets get it Lenny. Really enjoying Master Song. The rest was on in the background but still enjoyable. This must've been before his voice got gnarly. Leonard "3" Cohen.

This dude creepy as hell

It’s not for me. So long, Marianna was kind of nice, but no. Too dull. 2/5

Cohens voice is much better in this album than some of his later ones. The song writing is good but doesn't hold up to what i know he's capable of. It's a good album, I'm tempted to go up to 4 but I dont think I can. Repeats: Suzanne, master song, so long marianne Skips: stranger song

Leonard Cohen is undeniably an incredible songwriter but this album is not the height of his abilities. Loved a few tracks but it drones on with little variation. It'd be great for a dinner party but I can see why this album didn't make a large splash when it was released.

Easy listening, Suzanne is a standout track. I'd be okay if i never heard this album again though

It was like anti asmr. Background music was painful to me,

This album is mostly a bunch of folk acoustic arrangements. It’s meh, it’s been done way better. The songs are rather bland, as is the whole album. It kind of picks up by the end though

Now that I’ve completed 4 of the 5 Leonard Cohen records on the list, I think it’s safe for me to make this statement: This Leonard Cohen dude is a total bummer.

Nope

Love me some Leonard Cohen. But I found over the years, that you have to be in the mood for him. Yesterday was not it.

The Stranger Song, Sisters of Mercy, and So Long, Marianne were instant favorites. The rest of the album is good and every song has something that makes it worth a listen, but he keeps going back to this one cadence that irked me. I get the feeling I'm going to revisit this at some point and rate it higher.

So I'd already heard this one. Very much like it, strong 4 (8.5 out of 10 type shi). So Long, Marianne got stuck in my head for ages. The album is a little depressing sounding, rainy day type one.

First song, by all takes, this is hauntingly beautiful. Why have I never sat down and listened to Leonard Cohen with good headphones? This is everything I want Simon and Garfunkel to be. The backing vocals don't distract. Almost a 5/5. Not sure what doesn't make it total banger. Maybe it's the lyrics. They're petty sappy. Talked about this later and the story telling I also didn't really like.

I liked most of the song and I enjoy the style but his storytelling songs feel a bit like diluted Bob Dylan attempts that didn’t quite hit the mark of good rhythm

It's pretty good but not his best album by a long way...

Lovely album.

Nearly fell asleep in track one. Pass.

Not my thing particularly.

Never got sucked in. 2/5

One of my favorite artists from the 60s. I love much of his music. I will say that this album isn’t the best for everyday use, but an excellent add for intimate dinner nights and a relaxing cleaning Sunday. Parents used to sing me some lines off this album growing up. Album isn’t as good as some of his stand alone songs so leaving at 3

Boring. Bad. Couldn’t listen to it

Definitely not my kind of music but it wasn’t bad, very slow but nice background music I could understand vibing to this. 2-3

not this guy again. i am just not a fan

Heard it beofre. RIP, Bard.

Nothing really hit me. It was fine, but not exciting or particularly interesting to me, personally.

I've always heard good things about Leonard Cohen's music but I was a bit disappointed by this album. His songwriting is good, don't get me wrong, but some of the tracks seemed kind of... bland? Some of the extra instrumentation didn't help in my opinion. I wish he went for an old-school folk sound with just his voice and a guitar.

This album is lyrically dense. It’s almost aggressively poetic in how I felt it demanded me to pay attention to the details packed into these songs, and yet, try as I might, I couldn’t keep up. I could instantly see that the stories this album tells and the pictures this album paints are rich, vivid, and layered with meaning, and yet after the songs ended, I was left with only vague impressions. This is the kind of album I would rather read as a collection of poems than listen to — I can properly sink my teeth into it that way. The instrumentation in several of these songs doesn’t offer much to elevate these lyrics, and even though Cohen’s velvety voice is pleasing to the ear, I’d still rather hear him read these lyrics than sing them so I could pay more attention to his storytelling. The album begins to soar around the midpoint, though, where the lyrics and the instrumentals seem to be working in harmony, and it left me wondering why the rest wasn’t like those songs. The orchestral flourishes, background vocals, and subtle electronic touches do a lot to add to the bittersweet atmosphere on the best tracks, so why weren’t they applied to the rest? Fav tracks: Suzanne, Sisters of Mercy, “So Long, Marianne,” Stories of the Street

People love Leonard Cohen. I respect that but this was just not my thing, and I love classic folk music. His lyrics are beautiful but I found this album fairly dull and uninteresting, musically.

Tvö klassísk lög og mörg önnur góð. Lágstemmdur en hæfilega fjölbreyttur hljóðheimur, og röddin ekki enn orðin hrjúf. Afskaplega áheyrilegt, en ekki eins áhrifamikil og lokaplatan.

Really good one to close your eyes and relax to. The only parts I didn't enjoy were when it was less musical and more spoken poetry with guitar plucking, although he kind of rode that line throughout.

Just voice & guitar, love it. Texts are a bit melodramatic. not my style

Just an excellent storytelling type album. This is Cohen’s best work, The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne, Teachers! Such visual music in the sense you can see the tales he sings about at times. This is fucking great. 5 stars

Nice and mellow. a good debut although the last track is weird

Not my tempo

Altså her har vi poesi. Det er TYDELIG at Leonard Cohen var poet før han ble musiker, og resultatet er et hypnotisk, vakkert og poetisk album. Jeg kan late som om jeg er hard og Metal så mye jeg vil, men det er noe med god Folk, spesielt nå om høsten, som bare treffer dette lille kunstnerhjertet midt i blinken. Et vakkert, lengselsfullt og noe melankolsk album hvor jeg ikke har hjertet til å kalle noe for dårligst… MEN, «So long, Marianne» og «The Stranger song» skal stå som noe av det sterkeste albumet har å komme med. Elsker folk. Elsker Cohen. Nydelig album. For en debut.

Dette likte jeg! Eventyrlig historiefortelling. Albumet som en helhet er også tydelig planlagt, som var gøy å oppleve. Det er definitivt en "aktiv" lytteropplevelse, hvor man må leve seg inn i teksten for at alt virkelig skal puste. Favorittlåt: Master Song

Classic

wow, his poetry is incredible

Chill

I'm more a "music vs lyrics" listener so this album didn't really hit me. I have to Gove LC a closer listen/lyrics analysis in the future because I think that os why he is so revered

This album is ok. Nothing amazing. Nothing terrible. Very solid 3 out of 5.

Great lyricist

turns out I had heard a LOT more of this album than what I thought (which was none), it's played in every second hand store I've ever been in I swear. It sounds phenomenal when it's not coming out of their tinny speakers though. Just as beautiful as I thought it would be, this is the blueprint for songwriters for a very very good reason, it's just everything you need from a good song, every time.

Every song just sounds like a variation of "Suzanne." Five stars.

Buen álbum, ni excelente ni malo. Sorprende y se sostiene durante toda su extensión por su variación de arpegios, aún así carece de matices en las voz. La ausencia de percusiones y batería mimetiza todo y le contrarresta. Conjunto de canciones que individualmente funcionan muy bien y generan lo que desea, pero en conjunto cansan el oído. Hitazo: Suzanne Canción favorita: Winter lady Sorpresa: So long, Marianne

I find Cohen's voice quite haunting, especially Suzanne,Overall very mellow & enjoyable album

I see why some might like it but was not my favorite.

I almost really liked this. When it was wasn’t sounding like most other 60’s psychedelic singer/songwriters, it had some really interesting moments. Crazy to hear his voice as a young man too, since I mostly only know of his work from the 90’s on. 3.4/5

Very good album. Made me think of things like Tom Waits but played more straight. 4/5

I have a hot take about Leonard Cohen that I’ll save for another day. I do really like his music for the most part, and this has some incredible material. More lyrical than musical, but there are some killer harmonies and his voice leaves such an impact that it’s hard to deny. I can see a case made for this being his strongest LP. B+

If I could give 3 and a half stars I would. Really like ‘So long Marianne’ but some others are a bit meh

I’ve really enjoyed getting into Leonard Cohen off this thing. Hope there’s some more.

Incredible melancholy songwriting. Such a raw, distilled sound. As an album though it begins it suffers from a lack of variety in my opinion.

perfection. no notes. Top Tracks: 1) Suzanne 2) Master Song 3) So Long, Marianne 4) Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye 5) One of Us Cannot Be Wrong

The lyrics were the only thing holding this album up. Overall it felt like a man unenthusiastically reading stories.

A collection of very good songs no doubt, but thankfully albums after this starting telling more coherent sonic stories.

bedge

Meh a little too moody for me

Een rustige plaat die wel eens opstond in mijn studententijd. Fijne soundtrack bij enkele mooie momenten. Poëtisch, zou Schlangenmann zeggen. Hier staan veel pareltjes op die in een arthouse cinema soundtrack horen te pronken. Ooit One of Us Cannot Be Wrong nog ‘gecoverd’ met een gelegenheidsbandje. Een mooie herinnering hoe we dat toen min of meer verbasterd hebben tot een heel ander beest. Was Leonard Cohen 1 van de Groten der Aarde? Waarschijnlijk wel, maar ik ben nooit dieper in zijn poëtische wereld gedoken dan een paar platen. Op muzikaal vlak wordt alles ondersteunend, folky en sober gehouden, alle aandacht naar die verhalende teksten. Als ik hem nu nog eens opzet heb ik wel meteen zin om met een zwarte coltrui aan en een verfijnd brilletje op mijn neus wat zinloos te gaan discussiëren over ‘t leven in een ouderwetse koffiebar. Maar om dieper in zijn oeuvre te duiken dan zijn eerste 3 platen… het zal nog niet voor morgen zijn. Ik heb met die eerste platen wel genoeg meesterpoëet Cohen denk ik. Misschien is Songs Of Love and Hate wel meer op zijn plek in de 1001 before you die lijst. Ik vrees dat Cohen meer en meer alleen gekend zal staan als ‘die van het originele Hallelujah’, en dat zou jammer zijn, maar eerlijk: een gigantische muzikale navolging heeft hij niet gehad. De maatschappij is hier te hard voor versneld. Misschien zingt die van Warhaus nog geheel op zijn Cohens, maar Maarten Devoldere is wel een betere zanger. Ik besluit met eeuwig respect voor de poëet, en een adequate hoeveelheid respect voor de muziek die de poëzie draagt, met een 4 voor deze plaat. Zonder die mooie herinneringen weet ik niet goed welke score ik er zou aan gegeven hebben. Ik zou dit mss best even nalezen voor coherentie, maar hey er is weer een album te reviewen. Ain’t nobody got time fo that!

Het deed me bitter weinig.

Vind ik wel eens leuk. Alles in detail bespreken hebben er al genoeg eens gedaan he, laat ons eerlijk zijn. Kom.

I love Leonard Cohen. Five stars. He's great. I could listen to him for hours and I have; I listened to it three times today. The last song is someone stubbing their toe in a musical way for the last minute and in the end it gets too bad and he's just screaming lol

Wow. Surprised I haven't listened to this one already, it's pretty great. I haven't listened to much by Leonard Cohen at all, but its time to fix that...

Beautiful album, the first of many.

Clearly amazing songwriter, but not really my style of performing

Regroupe certains des meilleurs textes de Cohen (Suzanne, The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne). Si les arrangements musicaux sont simples, ils ne détonnent pas par rapport à l'époque, et les mélodies mettent bien les paroles en valeur. Je pense que cet album résiste bien aux critiques habituelles de Cohen. Par contre: certaines pièces se ressemblent beaucoup.

Haunting and beautiful.

Oops all my notes are gone. TL;DR The album is good, but boring by the end. Lyrically there's a lot going on, sonicly it can be very interesting, but man are there some stinkers in there.

I love the idea of Leonard Cohen of singing in a Renaissance court or something, just strummin his little mandolin.

Classic album but not quite worth a reputation it has.

telling a story in a nice soft way

one thing it's got going for it, is that it's on the shorter side

Such an amazing album!

Classic Americana. Good songs to play on the guitar.

I have literally no idea what to expect listening to this. Nice enough vocals but to me this is kind of boring

Absolutely beautiful, Suzzane just fills me with longing and melancholy it's crazy

Not my style but i aprecciate the penmanship, because the lyrics are beautiful. I never got into Leonard Cohen voice so maybe thats way i wasn't too keen on this album. 6.8/10

So long, Marianne One of us cannot be wrong

It was good. Fav song So Long Marianne

A story teller first, this wasn't my cup of tea

Seeds of greater songs, albums to come. Still a worthy listen in its own right.

i'm not really in to the whole adoration of lenny thing. his voice is incredibly boring. maybe he's a good songwriter, his songs have sounded decent when sung by someone else. but not sung by him.

The Songs of Leonard Cohen are one of life's most important works of art. The first time I listened to this record was the first time I ever felt love. It nurtured me and made me feel safe and happy. I've never questioned why. It's just something organic. Thank you Leonard. I'll do a little wank to the thought of you this evening.

#pogback

Was not a huge fan, too slow and warbly, can appreciate production was very clean and stripped back, however was not enjoyable to listen

Timeless classic, emotionally charged poetry accompanied by haunting beautiful backing instrumentation.

Boring Adam Sandler talk-singing to acoustic guitar.

Not really my cup o’ tea. The spoken word aspect was mostly what I’m not into. If Mr Cohen’s tunes came up in a shuffle with the rest of my library, I wouldn’t skip it but I didn’t really enjoy the whole album in a sitting.

Ein schönes Album, klingt gemütlich und werde ich mir speichern, um es noch öfter zu hören.

A good album. I liked it.

The opening track of this album almost lulled me to sleep. The strings and organs on Master Song hint at a more engaging sound but then just fade back away. So many of these songs feel like lullabies. The Stranger Song has such gentle guitar picking and Leo's soft voice barely getting above a whisper. Aside from the accompanying instruments and the occasional guest voice, these songs kind of blend together. The lyrics are poetic and emotionally complex, but Leonard's voice is taking me out of the beauty.

Loneliness you can feel. A beautiful album

Has a haunting quality to it. His voice leans a bit monotone. I liked the more melodic tracks, ex: The Stranger Song, So Long Marianne, Stories of the Street.

Soft religious metaphors for days.

Leonard's lyricisim is on full display here. Suzanne is such a wonderful track. Super mellow, very engaging, his voice really brings you in to listen to the lyricism. Easy 5.

Спокойно, мелодично, но не запоминается.

I know I'll be going back to this album a lot.

A fantastic debut with some incredible songs, but track for track I don’t think it quite holds up with Songs of Love and Hate or New Skin for the Old Ceremony

ok

This might be one of the most boring albums I've ever heard in my life. Leonard Cohen just drones on while he plays minimalistic nothing on his guitar which the mix burries in the background to the point you can barely hear it. A couple songs kind of up the tempo but even they do who cares? This album is a snoozer.

Mellow, chill singer / songwriter guitar music. Nothing I recognized. 2.5 stars

Good lord what in the Sam hell is this guy talking about. You will need a copy of the lyrics, google, and an hour to break down each song. Not for this kid.

Not particularly my cup of tea

Sad as fuck w

Not really my style, old-fashioned slow music

When Suzanne started, all I could think was I hope this picks up because Mr. Cohen is going to put me to sleep. From the gentle guitar strumming to Leonard’s monotone voice, this is very mellow music. And that’s pretty much the entire album. It feels like I went to a poetry reading that was accompanied by someone playing acoustic guitar. So Long Marianne gave us some background vocals to contrast with Leonard’s monotone, so that was a somewhat upbeat break. In all, not bad if you want something mellow to listen to. I often enjoy mellow music. However, these songs start sounding very similar. Some of the guitar strumming is quicker on some of the tracks, but for the most part, this entire album is Mr. Cohen speak-singing poetic stories over quiet, peaceful guitar.

Fell asleep listening to this. Not in a bad way though.

boringggggg

Listening to this after another day of pining over someone whom I know doesn't share my feelings has something rather poignant to it. The lyrics are not necessarily relevant to any experience u may have, but the stories they tell resonated with me on a level I can't quite describe. Suzanne particularly touched me. Cohen's slow, steady, but at the same time melancholy delivery is something I have discovered I quite enjoy.

Far too melancholy for my liking. Songs well written and composed, but not feeling the mood with this album.

ahhh, this did not disappoint me in the least. i listened to "you want it darker" prior to this, and it was great, so an album right at the start of his career peaked my interest and it's even better! "suzanne", "master song", "so long, marianne", and lest we forget "one of us cannot be wrong"! very excellent, my opinion of this might rise over time but for here it'll get a 4/5.

Liked the instrumentation, but I just don't like his voice, I put him in the same basket as Bob Dylan, more droning than the US Military. Didn't save any for a playlist.

done it

Had an appreciation for the lyricism of the songs and themes on this album. However, felt the album was a little monotonous and therefore wasn't as moving or provoking as I had expected at the beginning.

gentle and clean, just not my favorite

I had never listened to Leonard Cohen until previously on this journey, I received "You Want It Darker," an album that I don't think should have been my first foray into Cohen's work. Now this, this is the exact kind of album I think should have been my first foray. I have listened to a lot of Leonard Cohen's contemporaries and loved them, and this definitely feels along the same lines as a work of Bob Dylan or Paul Simon. The album feels so familiar, and I was not surprised to find it was produced by John Simon, who had a hand in Simon and Garfunkel's "Bookends" which I adore, and think feels pretty similar to this album in some respects. He also produced many albums by The Band, so now it's all starting to come full circle. This album is soft, pensive, dark. Something that maybe does not feel monumental in a contemporary sense, but at the time definitely had to have been. This is an album I think I will come back to, something about it feels so familiar and lovely and I would love to get lost in it again.

I really don't understand who this music is for. It's awful. There are no redeeming qualities. It isn't even short

Beautiful Music, supporting beautiful lyrics

very pretty. he looks exactly like young al pacino holy fucking shittttt. fav songs: suzanne, sisters of mercy, hey thats no way to say goodbye.

Cohen is one of those artists often mentioned but rarely encountered directly. His debut album reveals impressive singer-storyteller talent. The songs are lyrically dense and sophisticated. Yet, the music seems more a mere vehicle to showcase Cohen's poetic chops and ability as a writer. In fact, the arrangements on the album feel over-produced with the folksy fashions of the time it was released when a one-man-with-a-guitar treatment would likely be more powerful for Cohen's elaborate, winding, narrative style. The fact that this Canadian treasure is often mentioned along with Bob Dylan is revealing and reasonable, albeit a stretch as Cohen's body of work never reached the peaks, proportion, or preeminence.

Amused by some of the reviews in this section--weird takes such as "How do people even pretend to like this? He's the music version of Shakespeare: people only say they like him because it makes them feel smart," bla bla bla... Are some folks so insecure in their lives that they let their inferiority complex ruin all sense of measure and caution in their judgments? Can't they just explain what they personally don't like in Cohen's songs and music, and then move on? No, they can't, and that's interesting. Pretty sure such a bitter stance would have amused the misanthropic-yet-tender "dissectionist" of human passions that Cohen was himself. Oh, the irony. I could also take a page out of those disgruntled listeners' book and venture to say that they are the ones at fault here, *objectively* speaking. One can indeed wonder if they're not a little disturbed by the somewhat radical nature of Cohen's debut album--ascetic and dry for sure, yet also hypnotic on a musical level ; a treasure trove when it comes to the lyrics ; and, most of all, a record that leaves you no choice but to actively give your time and attention to it. This record has very few "spectacular" elements in its contents (a voice and an acoustic guitar, basically), and yet in spite of that, it dares you to stop and listen. Which is always a little disturbing at first, and maybe explains why quite a few reviewers are "disturbed" by it. In the end, some of those naysayers just can't help themselves: if they don't get it, that only means that people who do are *lying*. How amusing, as I said. The irony is that it takes no effort to love this record if you're a Leonard Cohen fan. Because loving this album has nothing do with intellectual shenanigans or the utterance of thesis statements, contrary to what those misguided takes say. Loving this album is a matter of emotion--of how you can respond to the traditional-folk-like purity of the music, here set against the lyrics' modern sophistication (and sometimes wry undertones), along with Cohen's sullen voice being a mock-neutral referee between the two. A perfect balance for many, and one you don't necessarily need to overanalyze, in spite of what I've just written (words are always feeble to describe such masterpieces. aren't they?). After all, some people with a very flimsy grasp of the English language have "gotten" Leonard Cohen for decades (I know that for sure, I don't llive in an English-speaking country), and he's not exclusively popular in 'intellectual" circles either. Which kinda proves all the naysayers wrong all by itself, no matter what it is that they subjectively "feel". No harm in disliking Cohen if it's not your thing--just don't overplay your hand by yucking on other people's yum through the bad faith stance of judging fans' character or their honesty, instead of telling us about your own impressions. It's not graceful at all, to say the least. Not that those naysayers are anything new. A lot of people are unaware of this today, but when *Songs Of Leonard Cohen* was released, its reception by critics was a bit lukewarm, actually. The partly-hidden rationale was mostly that Cohen came from literary and poetry circles: he was an outsider and no "real" musician--and most specifically, he was no real "singer" (odd how snubbery can take many forms!). Yet those critics were at fault too, because they didn't "feel" the most important aspects to take away from *Songs Of Leonard Cohen*: its earnestness ; its blunt honesty ; its raw nature. Because whatever technical abilities Cohen lacked as a vocal performer, he made up for them tenfold through the authenticity, earnestness, and unassuming manners in his performance. Fortunately, general audiences were quick to understand the gem that he was, and you can bet your boots that next generations will, too, just as the ones before. Another layer of irony is that those suspicious critics actually did a huge favour for the Canadian folkster. Rejecting him, they unwittingly underlined his status as a constant underdog--a status he would keep on drawing inspiration from during his long career. The typical Leonard Cohen stance is that he watches the world--and even his own romantic escapades!--from the sidelines with a unassuming, stoic air. And his music gracefully underlines this stance, whether it is wisdom or self-delusion. Such hardcore stoicism is still what makes Leonard Cohen unpalatable for some listeners today, I guess... Those more recent naysayers should at least be aware that things could have turned out worse for them. Had Cohen fully had his way with this debut, there would for instance be far less orchestral arrangements in it, and even less female background vocals. We can all be glad that producer John Simon stood his ground, because the compromise the two men eventually found works beautifully here. Later, for other albums, Cohen would oscillate from a "less is more" philosophy for his subsequent LPs during the seventies, to some sort of maximalist layering in the eighties--one that was maybe partly ironic. But it's here, for this debut, that the perfect matrix has been set for the Canadian songwriter. Those women singing background vocals would for instance never really leave him--it's a marital "arrangement" between lush voices and Cohen's own somber timber that started with this album, and made a lasting impression to the world of music at large. See the sheer amount of cover versions of Cohen's songs if you ever doubt about that. As for the orchestral arrangements, listen carefully to "Master Song" and tell me that its minimalistic production values are not one of the most insanely subtle and yet most gorgeous things that has ever graced human ears--each short inflexion of the small orchestra underlining the lyrical proceedings in the exact way it should--whether through strings or a trumpet--and also enhancing the wonderful chords Cohen found for his tune. So called "deep cuts" like that ("Master Song", "The Stranger Song", "Stories Of The Streets", "Teachers"...) all have those sorts of endearing or enlightening details, and as a consequence, they becone immensely pleasurable if you take the time to sit down and listen. And if you add that string of iconic songs to those less famous tunes--"Suzanne", "So Long, Marianne", "Sisters of Mercy"--of which I don't have much to say given how they have seeped through popular consciousness for decades now--what you get is a perfect, perfect record, without a single dud in it. Running out of time to finish this review, so I'm gonna end it here. If you don't know the wonderful works of Leonard Cohen, don't listen to the naysayers. Have an honest go at it. Maybe you are like "Joseph looking for a manger", and you don't know it yet. Rest assured that once you heart finds shelter in those songs, it is just impossible to forget them. Five stars, what else? Number of albums left to review: 447 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 257 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 132 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 167